Fundraising Directory

Alphabet Raffle

The Alphabet Raffle is a fundraising idea that can be used at events such as gala balls, trivia nights or even a fete.

Each mini raffle has only 26 tickets – labelled A-Z.

How does it work?

Sell each letter or ‘ticket’ for whatever amount you think you can get away with. This will depend both on the prize value and how deep the pockets of your audience are. I would think that around $10 per ticket is about right, although if you have a high-value prize, you could go crazy with such great odds of winning!

Make certain the letters are selected at random.

Get creative with the prizes, you can either seek donations or purchase them (hint: seek donations people!). The prizes need to have general appeal (good wine, a box of coffee pods, massage voucher, a bottle of spirits…you get the drift) as you will need to motivate the crowds to participate.

If you want to keep it super easy, you can offer a cash prize. At $10 a ticket, you will raise $260 from each round so be sure that any cash prize still leaves good money for the effort taken.

Once all tickets are sold, pull a letter out of a hat and you have your winner!

Variation Ideas

A variation on this is to offer three prizes – one main prize and two token prizes. Have a large range of three-letter words in a bucket. The winners are then drawn – the first letter is the main winner, and the other two letters get the token prizes. For example, if ‘Cat’ is drawn, the holder of the ‘C’ ticket wins the main prize, and ‘A’ and ‘T’ get the token prizes.

The key to this one is keeping everything sharp and short. Have one person (preferably on a microphone) spruiking the tickets, and a couple of runners to sell them and collect the money. This activity should be knocked over in 10 minutes, making it an ideal filler activity for a trivia night or a lunchtime fundraiser.

To run multiple sessions, simply prepare alphabet raffle tickets in a variety of colours.

For a twist, instead of using plain printed letters for tickets, why not get all creative and bake alphabet cookies!!! That way, everyone gets a prize!

Imagine – You sell edible gingerbread alphabet raffle tickets that everyone gets to enjoy afterwards. Win-Win! (Just don’t forget to wrap them individually for hygiene). You’ll just need to remind people to not eat them until after the prize draw!

If you do multiple rounds, use different colour icing for each one.

You can go crazy with variations along this theme – a chocolate bar with a letter written on it in marker pen. Different rounds – different chocolate bars… (I think I’d be waiting for the snickers round!).

Go crazy people!

Happy Fundraising,

Mandy

Mandy Weidmann is Australia’s ‘Fundraising Whisperer’ – publisher of the Fundraising Directory and author of the Practical Fundraising Handbook for School and Club Volunteers. Mandy believes that parent volunteers shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel all the time and is passionate about providing resources to make fundraising easier (and more fun). Click here to learn more about school and club fundraising ideas in Australia.

You might also be interested in:

• Team or Individual fundraising ideas for ‘Entry Fee’ fundraising
• Trivia Night Activity – selling cheats
• A Trivia night could be the answer to school fundraising
• The Jindalee State School P&C Games Night